Holographic polymer dispersed liquid crystal reflection gratings formed by visible light initiated thiol-ene photopolymerization

Visible laser light of wavelengths 442, 488 and 532 nm was used to write holographic reflection gratings with notches into the infra-red spectral region in polymer dispersed liquid crystals (H-PDLC). The gratings were formed by the spatially periodic phase separation of nematic liquid crystal during thiol-ene photopolymerization. An organic titanocene based complex, Rhodamine 6G (Rh6G) and Pyrromethene 597 (Pym) dyes in combination with benzoyl peroxide, were used as initiators. Using visible laser light and a single prism, electrically switchable reflection gratings with notches in the blue, green, yellow, red, and near infra-red (NIR) spectral regions were fabricated using angle tuning. The photophysics of the initiator dyes was studied by absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy. Morphology studies by TEM showed a periodic distribution of discrete nematic droplets of nearly spherical shape. The development of visible photoinitiator systems broadens the range of fabrication wavelengths of dynamic reflection filters using inexpensive visible lasers. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.